Breakfast Nook

This hidden diner takes you back in time.

O

ne of the last remaining great old-fashioned diners is behind a nondescript window and a neon sign where you’re sure to miss it if you’re not looking. At the Busy Bee, the blueberry pancakes are fluffy and melt in your mouth, and the portions are huge and cheap. Breakfast not your thing? Grab a seat at the counter and have a chat with the exceptionally friendly waitstaff over a burger and a frappe. The place is so little known that politicians and reporters meet here for quiet, off-the-record meetings. Fast-food joints may have the market cornered on breakfast speed, but if it’s authenticity you’re after nothing beats a greasy spoon like this one. Enos

The New England word for “milkshake,” “frappe” comes from the French “frapper,” which means “to beat.”